KTK-Nutrition

Many people are coffee lovers including me.   But I also enjoy a cup or two of tea every day.   Add some tea to your day and you add many health benefits.   Tea is rich in antioxidants, some vitamins, and minerals, and has been linked to improved heart health, better digestion, and enhanced mental clarity.   Some studies have shown tea may decrease one’s risk of type 2 diabetes and cancer.   Whether you prefer green, black, oolong, white or herbal teas, each type of tea offers its unique array of health-promoting properties.   In this blog post I explore the many health benefits of enjoying some tea.    Black Tea What is it made from?   Made from leaves of a plant.   Oxidation , “leaves exposed to moist oxygen-rich air”, is what turns the leaves from green to a black color.   Examples:   English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Darjeeling Black Tea, Ceylon Black Tea   Health Benefits:   Heart: Drink black tea often an...

Who hasn’t experienced the afternoon energy slump?   You did fine all morning, ate lunch and then about 2 or 3 pm, you have no energy, you are in an afternoon slump.   Some people then head to the snack machine for a candy bar in hopes that it will boost your energy.   It will, but then after the sugar rush your blood sugar may plummet and you are back to being tired.     Well rather than hit the snack machine for some high sugar, high salt food or grab a left-over donut in the break room, what are some ways and foods that can give you an afternoon pick me up?    What are some quick ways to deal with an afternoon slump?         Move around – so many people sit at their desk all day and even send an email to the co-worker next door.   Get up and ask the co-worker what you wanted instead of sending the email.   Get up and go the stairwell and go up and down a couple of flights of stairs. Drink some water . ...

As the weather turns colder a cup of hot tea can be welcoming after a walk in the cold or as a soothing hot drink on a cold winter’s day.   Are there any health benefits to drinking green tea?   There are many.   So often people say “eat healthy” and then we think of all the foods we need to eliminate from our day.   But there are many foods and drinks you can add to your day that add health benefits.   And adding in some green tea is one of those things.  What are some health benefits of green tea? Green tea can lower your bad cholesterol .   In my blog, How to lower your bad cholesterol , I talked about how the “bad” cholesterol can build up in your arteries and lead to heart attacks or stroke.   Cutting back on foods with saturated fat is one way to lower your bad cholesterol.   But did you know that drinking some green tea can help lower your bad cholesterol?     In a study published in the Nutrition Journal , of over 3000 ...

Many of my students and blog followers ask, “What foods can I eat for healthier skin”?   There are many topical beauty products one can buy for healthier skin but eating healthy foods should be a first step.   Eat This, Not That ! has a great article, 25 Healthy Foods That Give You Glowing Skin .   Besides eating healthy, keeping the sun off your face by wearing a hat and using sunscreen are also wise ideas.   The article makes the point that having healthy, “hydrated skin starts from within” by eating healthy foods.   Healthy foods can help build up collagen in your skin, and help strengthen your skin. Collagen is important as one New York dermatologist says, “It’s the glue that holds the body together.   “Collagen makes up about 75% of the dry weight of your skin, providing volume that keeps skin looking plump and keeps lines at bay.”   What are some foods that promote healthy skin and what is in these foods that works that magic? Tomatoes – ...

As the cold weather is hitting most of the states, it is a good idea to start practicing some healthy habits to charge up your immune system and try to keep the colds and flu away.   What are some ideas that are easy to adopt to stay healthier this winter?          1.    Wash those hands – out shopping, going to school, going to work, up and down escalators, staying in hotels?   Germs are everywhere so wash them away.   Hand washing is the first step to keeping colds and flu at bay .   In 6 Tips for Avoiding Cold and Flu , Dr. Pocinki recommends, “Wash your hands as much as you can stand, and then some more—especially after wrapping up a visit with someone’s who’s sick.”   If you aren’t near a sink, use hand sanitizer.   Carry some in your purse, or store some in your glove compartment.     2.  P ower Up Your Immune System – having a healthy diet will help build your immune s...

Natural sounds good and there are many “natural” remedies and cures advertised every day.   Which ones work and which ones don’t?   Consumer Reports (November 2018) and a number of others have reviewed commonly used natural remedies .   Have you tried some natural remedies and have they worked for you?   What do the experts say?             1.   A pple Cider Vinegar – my daughter recently asked me about apple cider vinegar and if it helps with weight loss.   I told her that myth is very old and was around a long time ago and then keeps coming back.   The hucksters push apple cider vinegar as a great cure all.   Take in just 1-2 Tablespoons a day and they claim you have better blood sugar levels, you lose weight, reduce your cancer risk and a new claim is it cures some skin problems.   Apple cider vinegar is really good for something – to use it in salad dressing.   Dr. Chey from th...

Trying to drop a few pounds for summer?   Everyone knows that better nutrition and exercise are good ways to burn off calories and drop some pounds.   But are there some easy tips that can enhance weight loss?   Sometimes it is stress that is adding pounds, especially to our stomach area.   How?   According to Dr. David Greuner from New York City Surgical Associates, when we are stressed our bodies produce more cortisol.   This causes our blood sugar to rise and our bodies to store more fat.   Not a good picture. So reducing stress may help reduce those inches around your midsection.   What are some tips to try to lose a few pounds or to keep that weight off?   1. Kitchens – keeping healthy snacks handy is one way to be sure you are eating healthier.   Researchers have studied snacking behaviors in cluttered kitchens and in a more organized, standard kitchen.   They found people ate more cookies in a cluttered kitchen.   ...